Nintendo and DeNA form alliance, new console announcement due next year

Nintendo and mobile game company DeNA have entered into a business and capital alliance to develop and operate new game applications for smart devices and build a new multi-device membership service for consumers worldwide, the company announced.

With DeNA, Nintendo intends to leverage the strength of its IP and game development skills in combination with DeNA’s experience in mobile games to develop new game apps based on Nintendo’s IP. Through this, DeNA will also be able to strengthen its global game business. Rather than porting games created for Wii U or 3DS, only new original games optimized for smartphones will be created.

“As these consumers enjoy the unique kind of gameplay found only with Nintendo, they will have the opportunity to explore even more premium experiences on Nintendo’s dedicated video game platforms,” Nintendo said in a press release. “Information on upcoming games and availability will be forthcoming.”

An online membership service accessible from smart devices, PCs, and Nintendo systems including Wii U and 3DS is also planned. It is planned for launch this fall and will be built on DeNA”‘s “extensive experience and capabilities in online membership services.”

Under the two companies’ capital alliance, Nintendo will acquire 15,081,000 of DeNA’s treasury shares, which corresponds to 10.00 percent of its total outstanding stock, for a total of approximately 22 billion yen. DeNA will simultaneously acquire 1,759,400 of Nintendo’s treasury shares, which corresponds to 1.24 percent of its outstanding stock, for a total of approximately 22 billion yen. Payment is due April 2.

Nintendo said that its DeNA alliance doesn’t mean it’s lost passion and vision for the dedicated video game system business, and went as far as to announce development on its next game platform, code-named “NX,” is underway with details coming next year.

“As proof that Nintendo maintains strong enthusiasm for the dedicated game system business, let me confirm that Nintendo is currently developing a dedicated game platform with a brand-new concept under the development code-name ‘NX,'” Nintendo president and CEO Satoru Iwata said. “It is too early to elaborate on the details of this project, but we hope to share more information with you next year.”

View the announcement slides here.

Watch the announcement press conference below.